Ore sweeping and recovering device



(No Model.)'- G. P. v

ORE SWEEPING AND REUOVERING DEVICE I v No. 532,183. I Patented Jan. 8,1895.-

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CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE SWEEPING AND RE'COVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,183, dated January8, 1895.

7 Application filed December 1, 1894. Serial No. 530,539. (No model.)

To all whom it maylconcerrci Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. PIKE, re-

siding at Philadelphia, in the county of Philation, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to devices for sweeping up and recovering themetal from the bed rock of river or other mining bottoms below waterline, and it has for its object a simple and effective device foraccomplishing such sweeping and recovery.

My invention accordingly consists of the combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts, and of the system of sweeping and recoveringmetals from the bed rocks below water, as more fully described in thespecification, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is bad to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is asectional elevation of of sweeping and recovering device embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the sweeper detached from itspropelling and actuating devices, anddrawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3is a section on line 11, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 22, Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section,partly in elevation, similar to Fig. 2, showing another form of thesweeper and recoverer, and Fig. 7 is an edge view of the apron shown inFig. 3, illustrating its automatic function of conforming transverselyto the surface being swept.

A represents a scow or other suitable vessel equipped with a powerhouse, a force pump B, suction pump 0, and a carrying and propellingdevice D for the sweeper and recoverer E, all of which, save the latter,may be of any of the well known or other suitable constructions, and maybe arranged relatively to one another as the requirements of servicedemand.

a form The sweeper and recoverer E may be of any suitable form having anopen bottom sweeping chamber 6 in which is mounted a rotating or othermoving brush G, which, as shown, is

mounted in sliding boxes or bearings 9 so that it will adjust itself bygravity to the surface which it sweeps, as more plainly shown in Fig.

4:. Suitable springs or other media may be used, as indicated at g toprevent the weight of the brush from jamming itdown upon the surface tobe acted upon.

The brush G is shown as operated by a water motor H suitably mountedupon the frame of the sweeper, as indicated at h, Fig. 5, and has a gearor other power transmitting connection it with the shaft of the brush G,but if desired, any other suitable motor may be substituted for suchwater motor. To the rear of the brush G is an inclined apron K, of anysuitable construction. In the drawings it is shown as beingautomatically adjustable and leads to a perforated receiving plate mforming the top of a chamber or pocket m having an inflow pipe or duct mAbove chamber 'm is a tube or outlet at contracted at n to which thesuction pipe 0 from pump 0 is coupled, see more plainly Fig. 1, and tomotor H a pipe 77,2 is coupled from pump B, or other source of power.

The apron K may be of any suitable flexible or other suitable material,and may be weighted or providedwith longitudinally or otherwiselocateddownwardly acting separate spring bars or plates is, so that saidapron will transversely at its outer lower edge conform to theinequalities of the surface being swept, so as to make a tight or closedjoint or contact therewith. See Fig. 7.

The operation is obvious. The sweeper and its actuating appliancescoupled thereto are lowered to the surface to be swept and moved overthe same by the propelling and carrying device D. The rotation of brushG sweeps the metal or other material up the incline K to perforatedplate m through which heavy particles of metal fall to and are retainedin the pocket m from which they are emptied when the sweeper is raisedto the scow, A. The flow of water entering pocket m and passing upwardlythrough the plate on agitates or comminutes the gangue or ore tending todeposit itself thereon, and thereby provides for a rapid and efiectiveseparation and deposit of the metal from the ore or gangue and alsofacilitates or assists the suction in chamber n to discharge the gangueto pipe 0. Whenever necessary, a force jet or jets P having a branchsupply pipe 1) from pipe 712 may be located in front of the brush G toassist the latter in sweeping or propelling the ore to and up theincline K, or if desired, these pressure jets may alone be used foreffecting the sweeping or cleaning of the surface, in which case thebrush G and its motor H may be dispensed with. An electric motorsupplied from a dynamo in the power house a may be substituted for themotor H and pump B.

If desired, the sweeper E may be manually propelled or dragged along theriver or other bottom by the bar or rod a. See Fig. 1. So too, the apronK may be hinged to the sweeper as indicated in Fig. 6, and a series ofopen top pockets or riffles m may be substituted for the single pocket.

The sweeper may be provided with rollers or wheels e at one or both endsto facilitate moving it when in action.

As the construction and arrangement of the novel features of myinvention may be greatly changed without departing from the nature andspirit thereof, I do not desire to limit myself strictly to what isshown and described, but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A water bottom sweeper and recoverer, consisting of a rotating brush,a suction outlet, an inclined automatically adjusting apron between saidbrush and outlet, substantially as set forth.

2. A water bottom sweeper and recoverer, consisting of a rotating brush,a suction outlet, an inclined automatically adjusting apron between saidbrush and outlet, a pocket at the end of said apron and an inflow ofwater for said pocket, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in the sweeper E, of

force or pressure jets or pipes P, oppositely located suction pipe orchamber 02, and an aeai let, an inclined apron between said brush andoutlet, and a pocket at the end of said apron, substantially as setforth.

7. A water bottom sweeper or recoverer, consisting of a rotating brush,a suction outlet, an inclined apron between said brush and outlet,apocket at the end of said apron, and an inflow of water for said pocket,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a portable sweeper E, a rotating brush G,automatically adj ustable vertically, adjustable apron K, pocket orpockets m at the end of said apron, and a suction pipe or chamber '11,,substantially as set forth.

9. Asweeper having a closed casing open at its bottom, a rotating brushrevolving through said opening, an inclined apron or way for said brushto sweep upon, a suction pipe or chamber communicating with said way,and a motor for the brush, substantially as set forth.

10. Ina device for sweeping river or other water bottoms, thecombination of a rotating brush, a suction chamber to one side of saidbrush, a platform between the brush and suction chamber, and a force jetat the opposite side of the brush having its line or path of forceadjacent to and across the sweeping side of the brush, substantially asset forth.

CHARLES F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

A. P. FRITZ, WM. D. BENNAGE.

